Program providers such as multiple system operators, television networks and stations, cable TV operators, satellite TV operators, studios, wireless service providers, and Internet broadcasters/service providers, among others, require broadband communication systems to deliver programming and like content to consumers/subscribers over networks via digital or analog signals. Such networks and physical plants tend to be extensive and complex and therefore are difficult to manage and monitor for faults, impairments, maintenance issues and the like.
Monitoring network maintenance activities particularly presents problems to operators of extensive cable networks. For purposes of example, a cable network may include a headend which is connected to several nodes that may provide access to IP or ISPN networks. The cable network may also include a variety of cables such as coaxial cables, optical fiber cables, or a Hybrid Fiber/Coaxial (HFC) cable system which interconnect terminal network elements of subscribers to the headend in a tree and branch structure. The terminal network elements (media terminal adaptors (MTAs), cable modem, set top box, etc.) reside on the nodes which may be combined and serviced by common components at the headend.
Cable modems may support data connection to the Internet and other computer networks via the cable network. Thus, cable networks provide bi-directional communication systems in which data can be sent downstream from the headend to a subscriber and upstream from a subscriber to the headend. The headend typically interfaces with cable modems via a cable modem termination system (CMTS) which has several receivers. Each receiver of the CMTS may connect to numerous nodes which, in turn, may connect to numerous network elements, such as modems, media terminal adaptors (MTAs), set top boxes, terminal devices, customer premises equipment (CPE) or like devices of subscribers. A single receiver of the CMTS, for instance, may connect to several hundred or more network elements.
The conventional process for tracking which terminal devices are attached to which optical node and like information is a manual process. For instance, when a new customer's services are first enabled, a network operator may identify the specific node or location of the user and enter this information manually into a customer management database. This information can be valuable for resolving physical layer communications issues, performing periodic plant maintenance, and planning future service expansions. However, when the data is inaccurate or incomplete, it can lead to misdiagnosis of issues, excessive costs associated with maintenance, and prolonged new deployments. In addition, as communication traffic increases or new services are deployed, the need to understand loading of parts of the network becomes important, particularly if existing subscribers must be reallocated to different nodes or parts of the network.
Based on conventional practice, locating and identifying network and physical plant issues essentially relies upon the receipt of customer calls and manual technician analysis in response thereto.